Monday, March 30, 2009

Ragdolls > Actors

Yeah, you may have guessed I get a lot of people asking if they could act in my Gmod movies regardless of my preference not to. I think people really deserve an explaination as to why that is.

Well for starters, it's not because I can't stand working with other people ... okay, so maybe it is, but the OTHER reason is because ragdolls offer a much, MUCH wider variety of entertainment with their customizable movements as long as you know what you're doing. Yeah, I know, there's also faceposer, but you're still using pre-set animations most of the time. My point is, by using actors who run around using preset playermodel animations, bobbing their heads and spewing their god awful voice acting, I believe it takes a very large portion of the entertainment value away. Plus manipulating ragdolls has a strange charm to it, especially for the actual Gmod players. Not only will the humor be there, the Gmod players will sit and wonder in amazement how you pulled it off too. I still have many, many people believing that Billy Mays VS Vince was done with multiple ragdoll animators in a server, when the four extra people in the credits actually helped with finding me audio, maps and giving me a new productions logo. The posing and editing was done by me alone.

Another problem I have with use of actors is the fact that they simply cannot control themselves. Swear to God, every actor I've ever known act like they're at the computer eating a heaping bowl of Captain Crunch with a mountain of sugar and ground up Ritalin pills. I went into a server once to help a member of the "Shadow Of Death Clan" film a Gmod movie he was doing, but 8 / 10 players just ran around deathmatching each other until the director just gave up and started making a building look like it was exploding instead.

All right, so let's say you've finally found some good actors. Well besides the first argument I've made against the use of actors, there's also the problem of finding a server ... ah yes ... a server. You have to manage the shit out of it, put up all the mods on it and hope all your actors have the same mods that it does, actors LOVE shouting over each other, you could be amped to film a certain scene but not all your actors could be online and of course, they always try to butt in on your script or say they're not getting enough scenes. If I ever actually did need actors, I have two of my best friends on that job and they're all I could ever need. As for using actors beyond them, I can pretty much say for sure that if I used those in all my movies, not only would they not even be half as funny, but I'd have pulled all my hair out and called it quits after GIB3 with how much a pain in the ass it is to work with general actors as a director.

So in closing, ragdolls don't shout, argue, deathmatch and are always punctual when you need them. They don't create drama to deal with, they go with your script no matter how stupid or nonsensical and when you don't need them anymore, it's simple as a remover tool away. I do apprieciate the fan support, as I believe I have some of the best fans out there, but use of ragdolls in singleplayer will always remain my style. What I REALLY could use are a team of people who are good at creating custom ragdolls and maps. Now that kind of help I can cheer for with my thruster propelled arms.

27 comments:

  1. didn't read all of it as it's 01:40 in the morning but I see what you mean. (I don't like be amongst people for too long at all, I get pissed of and feel like shit)love your videos and humour, and enjoy.... Wait, who are you?
    - HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXX!!! BANG!!
    - DAMNIT! Watch my screen, you son of a bitch!
    POW!
    anyway, how do i animate in gmod? had the game for some time but never really cared for making a video with before... (BTW, could you pick up the corspe here later on? His head is getting kinda smelly. :< )

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  2. Dude, you should do a "making of" of ur videos. Share your knowledge :D
    I watch your videos every day trying to find something ..:] Make some tutorials, which can help us :D
    And ..HAAAAXXXX! lol

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  3. I think your vids are better with ragdolls only. I would love to see some bloopers and/or making ofs as well. Those would rock!

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  4. How do you make your ragdolls move so good?

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  5. Yeah, it's funnier with the ragdolls because they move in such a hilarious way... and the faces you can make them pull..haha XD Just great :D

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  6. you mentioned you were looking for mappers im a beginner at hammer give me some time to master hammer and ill make you maps send a message through steam my name is (currently): (focs)sgt.kakashi

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  7. i can see what u mean but i still can't get aruond how u do it i mean like posing 2 ragdolls at 1 seems kinda hard fer just 1 person

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  8. i dont want lunch, i want breakfist.
    well hey, im real sorry.
    yeah, well ur gunna be sorry
    hes gotta gun!!!!
    best part ever.

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  9. how do you animate your ragdolls i rly want to know man

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  10. I love your use of ragdolls. I never would've thought of using an inflated kleiner as a weapon.

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  11. It might be worth it to try out live actors once and see if it works. Also, if You need some skinning done of gmod models, I'm pretty good at it and I'm always open. :D
    STEAM: XxM4574GRUN7xX (SwAt2_Army_Grunt)

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  12. i am a wonderful h3 map maker. for aanyone that you need for making maps, i can make the schematics and someone could whip it up acordingly to how it is made. just tell me what you want and i can design many outcomes of it. you choose the one that you think will fit and the person can make it. i have a steam account, and i am going to be on it more now, so if you need any help just contact me on steam. i dont have the games though.

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  13. Actors are difficult to manage. Too much whining. I totally agree. Ragdolls are great, they behave (mostly) how you want them too (they can spaz out too, but not that much), and it is incredibly hard to find an actor who can just sit still for a few minutes. (Though, faceposer actors are much more friendly :p.)

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  14. I know how you make movies so well- HAAAAAX!

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  15. ya exactly i was playin CS:S and retarded children were yelling into the mic and nearly blew open my eardrum

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  16. LoL!! Have you guys seen the "HAXXX!!" SWEP on garrysmod.org !? IT IS SO FUNNY! =)

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  17. Omg lol i dont know why but i have such a feeling i tried it before...you know all that shit by random dm....Omg now i remember why....i was in a darkrp server when some1 said in chat "Plz all Dont type for a moment, im trying to make a movie and if u be quiet u get ur names in creditz" Lol i was liek OMG CREDITZ FTW....But ye as i expected there was just all that random argueing(sry my spelling lol) and such u know....Well it would be cool if u could come up with ideas for new ragdolls..u know liek Dr hax, Uber kleiner, That combine. And im just talking crazy talk lolzor

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  18. Can I act in your movie? Please please please. I'll be a good actor. I swear! :D :)

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  19. hah.. teh pplz wan 2 b act0rz... s0 funeh.
    really, i think actors would only be useful if your mob-beating someone with crowbars.
    I love your movies, keep it up because believe it or not, there are people who just watch ur videos about.. 2 times a day and laugh themselves to death, then go about the rest of their day. theres are (only a guess, but) 80% of annoying, angry, agressive, shitfaced fans, and then theres like 10% people who just watch it because they found it, or like gmod, or both (searched for "gmod" on youtube and found you) and then 10% people watch and actually WAIT rather then spam, ur series.

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  20. The word actor refers to a person who acts regardless of gender, while actress refers specifically to a female person who acts; therefore a female can be referred to by either term. The Oxford English Dictionary states that originally "actor" was used for both sexes.

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  21. Im ok with using ragdoll but my problem is making them look like their actually talking any tips?

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  22. Yu know, ive been trying to make some videos on gmod. Ive uploaded one, called gmod- the day their lives got turned around using gravity cat reskinned in black and white and using halflife 2 characters. These are the games i've got:
    . Half life 2
    . Half life 2:episode 1
    . Half life 2:episode 2
    . Team Fortress 2
    . counterstrike source
    . Day Of Defeat source
    . Portal
    . Left 4 dead 2
    . Half life 2:deathmatch

    Only missing about 2 main games- left 4 dead 1 and Half life:source

    I would really like to be in one of your videos please watch my video on youtube isn't the best but getting better. Ive also done quite a lot of videos, but havn't posted them because they're too short. I guess I could merge them together a bit like the gmod idiot box...
    Anyway, awesome videos

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  23. This blog is so stunningly outstanding. Left its readers in the awe.here

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